Vehicle-shaft coupling



l (No Model.)

E. A. NEWMAN.

VEHICLE SHAFT COUPLING.

No. 411,673I

Patented Sept. 24, 1889,.

New

WITN ESSES UNITED 4STATES PATENT EDlVIN A. NEINMAN, OF WASHINGTON ,Y DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO DAVID L. lSNEDIKER, OF EMPORIA, KANSAS.

VEHICLE-SHAFT COU'PLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 411,673, dated September 24, 1889. Application led November 28, 1888. Serial No. 292,145. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that l, EDWIN A. NEWMAN, a

citizen of the United States, residing in Vashington, District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide improved means for attaching the shafts of vehicles to the axle or vehicle-body. l-Ieretofore shafts have usually been attached to the axle by means of pivot-bolts, which pass through lugs projecting forwardly from the axle and between which the inner ends of the shafts are secured. The pivot-bolts are provided with nuts which hold them in position in the lugs. To remove the shafts it is necessary to unscrew the nuts and withdraw the bolts. This takes time and often requires a special tool to unlock the nut. Besides there is a liability of the bolts and nuts being lost when removed from their accustomed position.

M v invention consists in so attaching the shafts to the axle that they may be readily removed therefrom without disconnecting any of the securing devices, and by which they are automatically locked in place as soon as inserted.

My invention also consists in certain details of construction and organizations of instruinentalities which will be hereinafter described.

In the accompanying` drawings, Figure 1 is a top view of my improved thill-coupling. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectiorf with the shafts in elevation, showing, also, by dotted lines different positions of the shafts. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the strip.

I will describe my invention as applied to one side of the shafts. The other side is of course applied in a similar way. The axle B is seated in a clip A, which is provided With ribs a a ,proj ect-ing from the bottom and terminating in screwthreaded bolts which receive nuts l1. Between the nuts and the bottom of the clip is interposed a plate C, which is pressed tightly against the bottom of the axle. At its front end the plate is prolonged,

and is provided with an upturned iiange c', which embraces the lower front edge of a gum cushion D, that is seated in a socket in the front wall of the clip. This socket is formed by an overhanging flange d, projecting for- Wardly from the'top of the clip. The front end of the flange is formed with an inturned 'edge d', which fits closely the upper edge of the cushion and holds it in place. The clip is provided with side pieces E, which project forwardly from the axle beyond the cushion D. These side pieces are cut away on their inner sides, as shown, to form open bearings S for the pivot-pin F of the shafts G. The front edge of the cut-away portion or recess is preferably rounded off gradually at Z', as shown, to permit of the shafts being easily removed and replaced. The shaft G is provided with a pivot-pin F, projecting equally from each side of the inner end. The pin F normally lies in the bearings S. The inner end of the shaft is prolonged and rounded off at tto fit the concave recess e in the gum cushion D, which serves to keep the shaft from rattling, and also holds the shaft and keeps it from being taken out until turned to the position G ,as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Then thus turned, (the strap M being out of the way,) the end t is withdrawn from the recess e, and the shafts with the pin F may be lifted out through the top of the coupling. The shafts may be turned to the position shown by dotted lines G2 in Fig. 2; but 'it cannot be lifted out of the couplings, as its end t would strike against the edge D. It will thus be seen that the shafts are normally in good working position and can only be removed when they arc held up, as indi cated at G; but they are readily elevated to this position and easily removed when it is so desired.

M indicates a strap having an enlarged end m, adapted to cover the opening in the coupling o'ver the ends of the shaft and contaim ing a weight h, the weight h serving to hold the strap in position Over the shaft and prevent its bending up aud exposing the interior to the accumulation of dirt, water, the. The 'strap passes along the top of the clip under a rib f, then over and down between the ribs a a', under the axle, over a 'transverse bar f', extending from the bottom of one side piece E to the other, and its outer end is finally connected by means of an eye o to a hook n IOS on the under side of the shaft GL By this construction, when the shafts are down the end m of the strap covers the end of the shaft; but in the act of elevating the shaft the end m is drawn out of the Way, allowingthe shafts to be Withdrawn from the bearings. The construction also prevents the shafts being turned too far over when elevated, as the enlarged weighted end m comes in contact with the rib f. The strap serves principally, however, as a safety device.

The construction shown is simple and effiv cient; but certain details of construction may be varied Without departin` from my invention, my main objectbeing to provide a shaftcoupling wherein the shafts are secured, held in place when in Working position, but can be readily removed and replaced.

I claim as my invention;-

l. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the clip, the forwardlyprojecting side pieces, the shafts, the cylindrical pivots resting in open bearings in the side pieces, the removable bottom plate of the clip, the overhanging top iange CZ, proj ecting beyond the rearwardly-projecting end of the shafts, the cushion D, seated in a socket in the front Wall of the clip, said cushion belng formed with a concave recess e, into Which the end of the shafts extend.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the shafts, the open bearings therefor, the strap at one endcoveriug the bearings and secured at its opposite end to the shafts, so that when the shafts are elevated the strip is removed from the bearings.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the shafts, the clips, the forwardlyprojecting side pieces, the open bearings therein, the strap enlarged and Weighted at one end and secured at its opposite end to the shafts, and the guides for the strip.

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto sub' scribed my name.

EDWIN A. NEWMAN.

' Witnesses:

LLOYD B. WIGHT, THos. S. HOPKINS. 

